Dispensing device for pressurized container



J. S. SONG Jan. 30, 1968 DISPENSING DEVICE FOR PRESSURIZED CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 4, 1966 Ifive r1120! Jo hn 8. 5016.

5 Darbo, Robertson Q'Vamien'Bur B J. 5. SONG 3,366,287

DISPENSING DEVICE FOR PRESSURIZED CONTAINER Jan. 30, 1968 ZSheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 4, 1966 Inventor John. 8. Song/ .15 parbofiobertson lfivandenbwzgb United States Patent 3,366,287 DISPENSING DEVICE FOR PRESSURIZED CONTAINER John S. Song, 117 N. Lincoln Ave., Addison, Ill. 60101 Filed Nov. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 592,139 7 Claims. (Cl. ZZZ-402.1)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A closure for a pressurized dispensing container has a wall portion forming an internal cavity. At least a part of said wall portion has a relatively thin wall with a dispensing opening therethrough. A resiliently deformable plug is positioned in that cavity. An actuator extends into the plug and has a finger button externally of the container. Embedded in the plug and connected to the actuator is a comparatively rigid member, which when moved by the actuator will define :a passageway from the interior of the container to the dispensing opening. When pressure on the actuator is released, the deformable plug returns to its original shape and it and/ or the rigid member provide a seal at the dispensing opening to prevent further release of the contents of the pressurized container.

The present invention relates to a closure apparatus for a pressurized container of the so-called aerosol type used for dispensing materials, and the following disclosure is offered for public dissemination upon the grant of a patent therefor.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide such a container wherein the valve opening coincides, for all practical purposes, with the dispensing opening. The dispensing opening is made very shallow in depth, being only the thickness of the metal from which the container is formed. Other than this depth there is no passageway external of the point at which the valve shuts off to collect or retain the material that is being dispensed. The extent of the passageway external of the valve is so short that it does not ordinarily tend to collect material, but if material should collect therein it is a very simple matter to clean it out.

In the aerosol type containers presently in use, there is a substantial length of passageway downstream of the valve closure. When the valve is shut off after use a portion of the material that has been dispensed collects in this passageway. In the case of paints or the like, the material will, if not effectively cleaned out, harden and clog the passageway. Other materials are deleteriously affected by air, or contaminates therein. Thus, for example, food products, e.g., cheese spread, will mold and become discolored. This is obviously most undesirable. The conventional constructions are such that it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to clean the passageway externally of the control valve after each period of use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a closure apparatus which is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture. Embodiments can be produced that are no more expensive, if not substantially less expensive, than embodiments of the closure apparatus presently being employed in various aerosol containers.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section through the center line of the top of a pressurized container illustrating an em bodiment of the present invention therein;

FIGURE 2 is a view as seen at line 22 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing the changed position which results in the dispensing of material from the container;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing a modified form employed when a spray type dispensing operation is required;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view as seen at line 55 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 1 but showing a modified embodiment;

FIGURE 7 is a view taken at line 7-7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 6 but showing the apparatus set in the dispensing position.

Although the following disclosure offered for public dissemination is detailed to ensure adequacy and aid understanding, this is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how others may later disguise it by variations in form or additions or further improvements. The claims at the end hereof are intended as the chief aid toward this purpose; as it is these that meet the requirement of pointing out the parts, improvements, or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

The embodiment of FIGURES 1-3 is for use on the top of a pressurized container, generally 10, holding material to be dispensed. The embodiment comprises a cap, generally 11, which is secured to the container. In the illustrated embodiment this is done by rolling a flange 12 securely about the bead 13 of the container 10. Of course, a fluid tight seal should be obtained.

Cap 11 has a portion 15 which defines a cavity 16. A resiliently deformable plug 17 is received in cavity 16 in contact with the walls that define the cavity. Means such as inwardly projecting bumps 18 are formed in the walls of portion 15 to make sure that the plug 17 remains in the cavity in contact with the walls thereof. In some embodiments the plug 17 will be frictionally retained in place without the necessity of employing bumps 18 or the like.

Plug 17 has a hole 20 extending therethrough from the interior of the container 10 to the thin exterior wall 21 of portion 15. A relatively rigid member 22 is received in a portion of hole 20. An operating means is attached to member 22. In the illustrated embodiment this operating means takes the form of a stem 23 and a finger button 24. Plug 17 fits closely about member 22 and stem 23 so as to form a fluid seal thereabout. Stem 23 is movable longitudinally through the plug and cap 11. A portion of button 24 forms an abutment 25 to limit the inwardly extent of movement of stem 23 by contact with the exterior of portion 15 of the cap.

Member 22 has a passageway 27 extending longitudinally therethrough from end 28 to end 29. End 28 is in contact with the inner face of wall 21, with the wall closing passageway 27 at that point. End 29 is exposed to the interior of container 10 through hole 20. The dispensing opening 30 extends through wall 21 and is positioned beyond passageway 27, at end 28, some distance along a line, which line is parallel to the line of movement of stem 23. The distance is such that the passageway 27 will be aligned with opening 30 when abutment 25 is moved into contact with the exterior of portion 15 of the cap.

A hole or recess 32 is formed in plug 17. The purpose of this hole is to provide a space into which parts of the plug can move so as to make it easier to move member 22 in the dispensing operation. Depending upon the material from which plug 17 is formed, it will be found to be unnecessary in some embodiments to utilize any hole such as 32. Plug 17 will be formed of natural rubber, one of the synthetic rubbers or any similar material of comparable and satisfactory characteristics.

FIGURE 1 illustrates the position of the parts when the container is closed and no dispensing is occurring. To achieve a dispensing, finger pressure is applied to button 24 moving the button so that abutment 25 contacts portion of cap 11, as illustrated in FIGURE 3. This action takes place against the resilient urging of plug 17. With passageway 27 aligned with dispensing opening 30, the product from the interior of container 11 is dispensed through opening 30. With the illustrated embodiment it would normally be necessary to invert the container 10 so that hole would be downwardly and the material to be dispensed would move by gravity into the hole to then be forced out under pressure. If inverted operation is not desired, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that conventional modifications could be made so that the material to be dispensed would be forced into hole 20 rather than the hole 20 being filled with the pressurizing fluid. One such expedient would be to run a tube from hole 20 to a point adjacent the bottom of the container 10 or a compartmented pressurized container may be used.

When it is desired to discontinue the dispensing operation, the finger pressure on button 24 is relieved. The resilient urging of plug 17 then will act on member 22 to return it to the FIGURE 1 position from the FIGURE 3 position. At this point the container is sealed, with the plug 17 fitting about the various parts so as to prevent fluid from the interior of the container from reaching opening 30 or the opening in the cap through which stem 23 extends. It will be seen that the closure at opening 30 occurs immediately at the inside face of the thin metal wall 21. Thus there is substantially no opportunity for the material from the container to collect externally of this closure. In any event, it would be a simple matter to clean opening 30 because of the comparatively small depth thereof, and the fact that it is a straight, exposed opening.

FIGURES 4 and 5 illustrate a modification employed when the material from the container is to be sprayed, such as a paint. The rigid member (functionally corresponding to member 22 of FIGURE 1) has a boss 36 on the end thereof adjacent wall 21. Boss 36 has a cylindrical cavity 37 which at one side communicates with passageway 38 (corresponding to passageway 27). A spray orifice 39 is formed in the center of boss 36. When finger pressure is applied to the operating means, member 35 is moved so that orifice 39 is axially aligned with dispensing opening 30. When the finger pressure is relieved the parts return to the position illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5. At this position the wall 21 closes orifice 39 and the end of boss 36 closes dispensing opening 30.

A modification is illustrated in FIGURES 68. Again, cap 11 is secured to a container 10. Flange 12 is rolled about bead 13 so that the two will be affixed and a fluid tight seal formed. Portion 15 of cap 11 defines a cavity 16. In cavity 16 is received a rubber plug 45. Plug has a hole 46 therethrough. A rigid member is formed by a relatively flat plate 47 and a guide 48. The actuating means secured to the rigid member includes a stem 49 and a finger button 50. Wall 21 has a dispensing opening 52 therethrough. Plug 45 has a hole 53 therein.

To dispense material from the container finger button is moved toward cap 11 until abutment 54 contacts the cap. The rigid member (47, 48) compresses the rubber plug 45 lying therebelow and opens hole 46 from the interior of the container to dispensing opening 52,

as illustrated in FIGURE 8. The material is free to flow from the container to the dispensing opening. When pressure on finger button 50 is relieved, the resilient urging of the rubber plug 45 returns the rigid member (4'7, 48) to the FIGURE 6 position. In this position the dispensing opening 52 is covered by the end of the rigid member and by the end of the rubber plug 45. Of course, the rubber plug 45 fits closely about the sides of the rigid member and about stem 49 so that no material or fluid from container 10 can flow thereabout.

The rigid members 22, 47, 48, and the actuating means 23, 24, 49, 50 are formed of a suitable plastic or metal. They are rigid in comparison with the resiliency of the rubber plugs 17, 45. Thus it is the plug that deforms rather than the rigid member. Plugs 17, 45 may be formed with two sections separated along the members 22, 47, 48 so that little deformation can occur in the upper section which seals the actuator stems 23, 49.

I claim:

1. In a closure apparatus for a pressurized dispensing container enclosing a material to be dispensed and a fluid under pressure to force the material out through a dispensing opening when the closure is opened, the improvement comprising: said container having a wall portion forming an internal cavity, said portion having a relatively thin wall with said dispensing opening therethrough; a resiliently deformable means in said cavity in contact with the Walls of said portion, said means having a hole extending from the interior of the container to said thin wall; and operating means including a rigid elongated member in said hole and having one end in juxtaposition to said thin wall, and an actuator connected to said member and extending through said deformable means through the cavity wall; said deformable means forming a fluid tight seal about said operating means and said rigid member and resiliently urging said actuator outwardly to an extended position; said means covering said opening at the interior of said thin wall when the actuator is in the extended position and uncovering said opening and placing the opening in fluid communication with the interior of the container when the actuator is displaced inwardly against the resilient urging of said deformable means.

2. In a closure apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the length of said member from said one end to the opposite end is less than the corresponding dimension of said hole, said actuator extending outwardly normal to said length.

3. In a closure apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said deformable member has a recess therein on the opposite side of said member from the side at which the actuator is connected.

4. In a closure apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said walls forming said cavity having a local part extending inwardly to hold the deformable member in the cavity.

5. In a closure apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said member has a passageway extending therethrough from said one end, said passageway at said one end being closed by said thin wall when the actuator is in the extended position and in line with said opening when the actuator is in an inwardly displaced position.

6. In a closure apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said actuator has an abutment outside of said walls, said abutment being spaced from said walls when the actuator is in the extended position and abutting said walls when the actuator is in said inwardly displaced position.

7. In a closure apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said member is solid and has a thickness as measured parallel to the movement of the actuator substantially less than its width, and wherein, when said actuator is in the inwardly displaced position a dispensing passageway is formed between a side of the member and the adjacent side of the deformable means, said passageway being in communication with said opening, said passageway being References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS McGinley. DOrbessan 222394 X Jones 251-326 X Witwer 251326 X Isom et a1 251353 Efiord 251-353 Ashton 222-40224 Carlsson 222402.24 X

Germann 25-1-320 X SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

